Tracking surface for determining optimal charging position

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure describes a methodology for tracking position and orientation of one or more electronic devices, which may receive charge through wireless sound power transmission based on pocket-forming. This methodology may include one transmitter and at least one or more receivers, being the transmitter the source of energy and the receiver the device that is desired to charge or power. The transmitter may identify and locate the device to which the receiver is connected for subsequently charge and/or charge it. In order to increase charging and/or powering of electronic devices, a plurality of sensors may provide information determining the optimal position and/or orientation aimed to receive charge and/or power at the maximum available efficiency.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present disclosure is related to U.S. Non-Provisional Patentapplication Ser. No. 13/891,399 filed on May 10, 2013, entitled“Receivers For Wireless Power Transmission”; Ser. No. 13/891,430 filedon May 10, 2013, entitled “Methodology for Pocket-forming”; and Ser. No.13/891,445 filed on May 10, 2013, entitled “Transmitters For WirelessPower Transmission”, invented by Michael A. Leabman, the entire contentsof which are incorporated herein by these references.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to electronic transmitters, and moreparticularly to transmitters for wireless sound power transmission.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Electronic devices such as laptop computers, smartphones, portablegaming devices, tablets and so forth may require power for performingtheir intended functions. This may require having to charge electronicequipment at least once a day, or in high-demand electronic devices morethan once a day. Such an activity may be tedious and may represent aburden to users. For example, a user may be required to carry chargersin case his electronic equipment is lacking power. In addition, usershave to find available power sources to connect to. Lastly, users mustplugin to a wall or other power supply to be able to charge his or herelectronic device. However, such an activity may render electronicdevices inoperable during charging. Current solutions to this problemmay include inductive pads which may employ magnetic induction orresonating coils. Nevertheless, such a solution may still require thatelectronic devices may have to be placed in a specific place forpowering. Thus, electronic devices during charging may not be portable.For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a wireless powertransmission system where electronic devices may be powered withoutrequiring extra chargers or plugs, and where the mobility andportability of electronic devices may not be compromised. Such systemmay charge and/or power electronic devices with an efficiency that maydepend on distance, obstacles, temperature, among others. Thus, a systemfor tracking and positioning electronic devices is required; such systemmay locate optimal orientation for charging and/or powering devices at amaximum available efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure provides a system for determining the optimalposition and orientation of electronic devices through a plurality ofsensors which may provide information to software that may notify theuser in order to change position and orientation for receiving chargeand/or power at the maximum available efficiency.

System for tracking position and orientation may include one or moreflowcharts which may be included into an algorithm or group ofinstructions, which may be used by a processor, CPU, among others, fordetermining where an electronic device receives charge and/or power atthe maximum available efficiency. Thus, a high flexibility may be allowfor charging and/or powering a plurality of electronic devices because,wireless power transmission may be employed with a maximum availableefficiency in variety of applications, regardless obstacles andinterferences.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure are described by wayof example with reference to the accompanying figures which areschematic and may not be drawn to scale. Unless indicated asrepresenting the background art, the figures represent aspects of thedisclosure.

FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless power transmission example situation usingpocket-forming.

FIG. 2 illustrates a tracking and positioning flowchart, which may beemployed by an algorithm in a controller, CPU, processor, computer,among others, for determining the optimal position and orientation of anelectronic device which may receive charge and/or power through wirelesspower transmission.

FIG. 3A illustrates wireless sound power transmission, where acellphones receives charge and/or power at low efficiency.

FIG. 3B illustrates wireless sound power transmission, where acellphones receives charge and/or power at low efficiency.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

“Pocket-forming” may refer to generating two or more sound waves whichconverge in 3-d space, forming controlled constructive and destructiveinterference patterns.

“Pockets of energy” may refer to areas or regions of space where energyor power may accumulate in the form of constructive interferencepatterns of sound waves.

“Null-space” may refer to areas or regions of space where pockets ofenergy do not form because of destructive interference patterns of soundwaves.

“Transmitter” may refer to a device, including a chip which may generatetwo or more sound wave signals, at least one sound wave signal beingphase shifted and gain adjusted with respect to other sound wavesignals, substantially all of which pass through one or more sound wavetransducer such that focused sound wave signals are directed to atarget.

“Receiver” may refer to a device including at least one sensor element,at least one rectifying circuit and at least one power converter, whichmay utilize pockets of energy for powering, or charging an electronicdevice.

“Adaptive pocket-forming” may refer to dynamically adjustingpocket-forming to regulate power on one or more targeted receivers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, whichare not to scale or to proportion, similar symbols typically identifysimilar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrativeembodiments described in the detailed description, drawings and claims,are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be used and/or andother changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 1 illustrates wireless power transmission 100 using pocket-forming.A transmitter 102 may transmit controlled sound waves 104 which mayconverge in 3-d space. These sound wave (SW) signals may be controlledthrough phase and/or relative amplitude adjustments to form constructiveand destructive interference patterns (pocket-forming). Pockets ofenergy 108 may be formed at constructive interference patterns and canbe 3-dimensional in shape whereas null-spaces may be generated atdestructive interference patterns. A receiver 106 may then utilizepockets of energy 108 produced by pocket-forming for charging orpowering an electronic device, for example a laptop computer 110 andthus effectively providing wireless sound power transmission. In othersituations there can be multiple transmitters 102 and/or multiplereceivers 106 for powering various electronic equipment for examplesmartphones, tablets, music players, toys and others at the same time.In other embodiments, adaptive pocket-forming may be used to regulatepower on electronic devices.

The method of wireless power transmission begins by generating two ormore sound waves from a transmitter with at least two sound wavestransmit transducers. The transmitter forms controlled constructive anddestructive interference patterns from the generated sound waves. Thesystem accumulates the energy or power in the form of constructiveinterference patterns from the sound waves to form pockets of energy.The transmitter assists in converging the pockets of energy in 3-d spaceto a targeted electronic device. Whereby the converged pockets of energyare collected by a receiver connected to the electronic device with atleast one sensor for powering or charging the targeted electronic devicefrom the pockets of energy. The electronic devices are typically acellphone, iPad, iPhone, tablet, an Android device or other similarelectronic device operating by charging a battery associated with thedevice.

FIG. 2 illustrates tracking and positioning flowchart 200, which may beemployed by an algorithm in a controller, CPU, processor, computer amongothers, for determining the optimal position and orientation of anelectronic device which may receive power and/or charge through wirelesssound power transmission 100.

In order to achieve the optimal efficiency, electronic device may use avariety of sensors for determining the voltage level in battery and/orthe power level received when wireless power transmission starts 202.Such sensors may indicate whether the device is receiving power at themaximum available efficiency 204. Maximum available efficiency maydepend on distance from transmitter, obstacles, temperature, amongothers. If the device is receiving power at maximum availableefficiency, then an application, software or program installed on theelectronic device and/or in the receiver 106 may aware and/or notifyuser to maintain current position 206. Moreover, if the device isreceiving power at a lower efficiency than the maximum availableefficiency, then software or program may use a variety of sensors fortracking and determining the optimal position of electronic device inrelation with transmitter 102 position and orientation. Sensors mayinclude accelerometers, infrared, GPS, among others. Furthermore,communication reciprocity may be used by the communication module fortracking and positioning. Communication module may include and combineBluetooth technology, infrared communication, WI-FI, FM radio amongothers. By comparing voltage level and/or power received in eachposition and/or orientation of electronic device, the software and/orprogram may notify and/or guide user to change device position 208 forlooking the optimal position and/or orientation.

FIG. 3 illustrates wireless power transmission 300, where a transmitter302 may produce pocket-forming over plurality of cellphone 304. Asdepicted in FIG. 3A, wireless sound power transmission 300 may chargeand/or power cellphone 304 at a low efficiency because sensors 306 onthe receiver 106 may he faced to the same direction of the sound waves310, thus pocket of energy 308 may provide less charge and/or power tosensors 306. As shown in FIG. 3B By turning cellphone 304 180° degrees,sensor 306 may receive power at a higher efficiency, such efficiency maybe achieved due the sensor 306 orientation, which may be faced in theopposite direction of sound waves 310.

While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, otheraspects and embodiments may be contemplated. The various aspects andembodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and arenot intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit beingindicated by the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, we claim:
 1. A method fortransmitting wireless sound power, comprising: generating two or moresound waves from a transmitter with at least two sound wave transmittransducers; forming controlled constructive and destructiveinterference patterns from the generated sound waves; accumulatingenergy or power in the form of constructive interference patterns fromthe sound waves to form pockets of energy; converging the pockets ofenergy in 3-d space to a targeted electronic device; sensing theconverging pockets of energy for determining the power level andefficiency received by the targeted electronic device; and maintainingor changing the electronic device position for maximizing the efficiencyof receiving the converged pockets of energy in a receiver connected tothe electronic device with at least one antenna for powering thetargeted electronic device from the pockets of energy.
 2. The method fortransmitting wireless sound power of claim 1, wherein the sensing isaccomplished through accelerometers, infrared or OPS sensor circuits fortracking and positioning the electronic device.
 3. The method fortransmitting wireless sound power of claim 1, further comprisingcommunicating circuitry in the transmitter and receiver for comparingthe voltage level and power received to guide user for changing thedevice position to optimize position or orientation of the device forreception of the pockets of energy.
 4. The method for transmittingwireless sound power of claim 3, wherein the communicating circuitryuses Bluetooth, infrared, Wi-Fi or FM radio signals for communicationbetween the transmitter and the receiver.
 5. The method for transmittingwireless sound power of claim 1, further comprising computinginstructions for processing the sensed signals representing the powerlevel and efficiency of the wireless transmitted power from the receivedpockets of energy.
 6. A system for transmitting wireless sound power,comprising: a transmitter generating pockets of energy for transmittingto a receiver electrically connected to at least one electronic devicefor receiving the pockets of energy; a communication network on thetransmitter controlled by a processor for receiving signals from thereceiver to determine a battery and a power level of the electronicdevice and for tracking and for positioning the electronic device to theoptimal position or orientation for maximizing pockets of energyreception by the receiver to charge the electronic device.
 7. The systemfor transmitting wireless sound power of claim 6, wherein thetransmitter generates two or more sound waves from at least two soundwave transmit transducers to create constructive interference patternsfrom the sound waves to form the pockets of energy.
 8. The system fortransmitting wireless sound power of claim 6, wherein the receiver orelectronic device includes sensors generating signals representing thebattery level, power level, position and orientation of the device forfeeding a processor including a set of instructions to maximize theefficiency for charging at least one electronic device from the sensorsignals.
 9. The system for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 8,wherein the generated pockets of energy are received by a plurality ofelectronic devices at a higher efficiency due to antennas orientationdirected by the processor in response to the sensor signals.
 10. Thesystem for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 6, wherein theprocessor includes predetermined instructions for determining theoptimal position and orientation of the electronic device to receive thepockets of energy for charging the device.
 11. A system for transmittingwireless sound power, comprising: a transmitter for generating two ormore sound waves having at least two sound wave transmit transducers toform controlled constructive and destructive interference patterns fromthe generated sound waves; a processor within the transmittercontrolling the constructive interference patterns from the generatedsound waves to form pockets of energy; a receiver with at least onesensor for accumulating the pockets of energy converging in 3-d space toa targeted electronic device; a wireless communication network connectedbetween transmitter and receiver for utilizing antennas located on thetransmitter and receiver for broadcasting signals from one or moresensors located on the transmitter, receiver or the electronic devicefor determining the power level and efficiency of the charging powerreceived by the targeted electronic device; and wherein efficiency ofthe converged pockets of energy processed by the receiver connected tothe electronic device are directly related to the sensor signals fordetermining the optimal position and orientation of the electronicdevice being charged. The system for transmitting wireless sound powerof claim 11, wherein the processor includes instructions for processingthe sensor signals to determine the tracking and positioning of theelectronic device.
 12. The system for transmitting wireless sound powerof claim 11, wherein the communication network includes Bluetooth,infrared, Wi-Fi or FM radio signals.
 13. The system for transmittingwireless sound power of claim 11, wherein the sensors areaccelerometers, infrared, proximity, motion detector or GPS circuits.14. The system for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 11,wherein the sensors provide information concerning a plurality ofelectronic devices ready to be charged.
 15. The system for transmittingwireless sound power of claim 11, wherein the electronic device is acellphone, iPad, iPod, Tablet, iPhone, an Android device or otherelectronic device for charging a battery associated with the device. 16.The system for transmitting wireless sound power of claim 11, whereinthe transmitter produces pocket-forming over a plurality of electronicdevices.
 17. The system for transmitting wireless sound power of claim11, wherein the processor is a computer, an ASIC, a controller,microprocessor or other similar device that is capable of processinginstructions.
 18. The system for transmitting wireless sound power ofclaim 11, wherein the transmitter creates the pocket-forming pockets ofenergy to converge in 3-D space in a direction related to the sensorsignals representing the tracking and orientation of the electronicdevice.
 19. The system for transmitting wireless sound power of claim11, wherein the processor dynamically adjusts the pocket-forming toregulate power on one or more targeted electronic devices.